A Little More About Me – Pontificating Queen

Looking back on my “About me” posts on previous iterations of my blog has been quite something. Honestly, it’s amazing to see how much I’ve changed in a year or so, during through moments when I talk about who I am. Usually, it’s hard to talk about who I am because I previously have always done this in relation to my PhD journey. Quitting that journey had me in an identity crisis of sorts because I had no alternate way of defining myself outside of academia. I’ve since spent my time digging deep, rewriting my narrative.

So who is she?

Okay, what to say about me? I’m 25. And I’m adulting now. The path to where I am now has been anything but linear. I am a former PhD student turned non-profit, youth development professional. I still don’t actually really know what I want to do with my life even though I probably shouldn’t admit that out loud. But hey, I’m probably the most authentic regular degular person you’re going to meet. So I said what I said.

Due to my own journey, dealing with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, I’m big on mental health. One day, I want to run an innovative practice to help close the access gap for women of color who need mental health services. However, I’m still thinking that idea through. In the meantime, if you’re based in Central Maryland I have some info on a dope therapy office and psychiatrist so just shoot me a message. Most of my content on this blog will include a mental-health related framework. I’m adamant about folx being intentional in prioritizing caring for themselves, first, in every aspect of life.

More about me: I’m originally from Brooklyn. Born and raised. Both my parents are products of the mean streets, rich culture, and, country roads that is the island of Jamaica. And I mean, they’re the type of Jamaican that has stories about times they rolled down into the gully, drank ganja tea, and grew up in the same town as Yellow man Jamaican. So, there’s that.

I started undergrad at 16. This fact has shaped my
adolescent years in ways that no other experience could. I’m spending my time
now trying to reclaim a childhood I feel like I barely had. Operation #reclaimingmylife
has been QUITE the journey.

Patrice: INFJ

The book Quiet by
Susan McCain really helped me activated my introvert strength. While I’m super
introverted, I am capable of presenting the opposite. While pretending to be an
extrovert, my face burns and I rush through the moment I hate being put on the
spot and once I figure out that I’m the center of attention, my insides go into
self-preservation mode and sets itself on fire. Meanwhile, my ability to
multitask kicks in and I coach myself through the experience. I’m actually
quite the public speaker. I am just big on preparation and planning so you put
me on the spot, and, well… anything can happen. More than likely, a death
stare. Blogging has worked out well to compliment my introvert life.
Interestingly, I’m just as candid an open in face to face conversation as I’ll
be on my blog. Perhaps it’s fitting to add here that I am a Sagittarius. Deduce
from that what you will.

I love to start projects that don’t finish themselves. I have it all together and I’m a mess. I’m a perfectionist and I’m also apathetic. More often than not, I’m going to feel like nothing I present is A1 per my standards, but I’m learning to just DO. I’m also learning that my “mediocre” is pretty impressive to a lot of folks.

If you want to see my face more often, be sure to follow me on Instagram

All hail melanin

Black women
inspire me. The perseverance, the resilience, the innate ability to get the ball
rolling when everyone else around is just talking about the ball. The melanin.
The natural hair, the relaxed hair, 30 inch weaves and pixie cuts. The
badassery, the nurturing, the relationships we form with one another and how we
fortify each other. It’s everything. I love that somehow, we still manage to
stand in a world that doesn’t give us a damn thing to stand on. I hate that we must
be these things, but because we do I admire us so much more than anything or
anyone else, because it takes so, Freaking, Much.

And I love our young black girls. Because not many are invested in truly getting them; therefore I’ll be devoting my life’s work to young black women. I owe to them. Because at multiple points in my journey, an OG black woman reached back for me and gave me the game so I could be an OG black woman one day too.

Have I answered everything you wanted to know about me? Let me know below.